Drafting Digest: Pro Tour's Eve

With Pro Tour Rivals of Ixalan coming this weekend, I'm excited to see what the different teams have figured out about this format. I'm currently of the opinion that, while aggressive decks exist and can be good, you're better off trying to build a more midrange or control deck. Blue decks can certainly be tempo-oriented, but almost all of them will still put Sailor of Means to good use.

In fact, an interesting observation I've had about this format is that it seems like only a small portion of either player's deck matters in any game. What I mean by this is that each player is playing cards, such as Sailor of Means, that invalidate some percentage of their opponent's deck. Aggressive decks may not be performing well because they aren't as good at executing this kind of strategy and their linear approach is easier to take apart. This is also why flying creatures are performing so well, as the ground gums up and then only flying matters. So when playing a game of Rivals of Ixalan Limited, make sure to ask yourself what matters and save your removal spells for those creatures.

Dire Fleet Daredevil is a solid card. It's great in every red deck, whether aggressive or not, and it's great in the early-game and the late-game. You can't ask much more from a two-drop. But all in all, it's just a solid card, not a bomb or anything. And I'm of the opinion that the last option is in fact a bomb.

Golden Demise is an absolute beating. This format is chock-full of 2/2s and battlefield stalls happen quite a bit. Having access to Golden Demise as a game-ending effect in a large portion of matchups is nothing to scoff at. And thanks to ascend, you can even include this in decks with a bunch of 2/2s as well. I'm always happy to first-pick this card, and you should be too. I frequently see this card passed, and I believe that, more likely than not, that's incorrect.

Pack 1, Pick 3

Hunt the Weak is a solid card, but I haven't liked B/G that much in this format so far. And while I'm not locked into black, I think both of my black cards are better than Hunt the Weak, so I don't think I can justify taking the fight spell.

Skymarcher Aspirant is a solid little one-drop. I wouldn't fault anybody for taking it here, using the tiebreaker that they could end up in quite the solid W/B Vampires deck; however, I consider this card not as impactful as the other option. While it's an efficient beater that scales well with the game, one toughness is a liability in this format to some extent, and I want to pick my second color based on a card with a higher ceiling.

About Ryan Saxe

Ryan has been playing Magic for over ten years and is an avid limited player in New York City's competitive scene. Known for his analytical approach to the game, Ryan prides himself in his efficacy for problem solving. Every set bears an onslaught of new puzzles, and taking these head on is what he does best.